I was thinking since many people are interested in advice for applying for patents, that I should list what I (and many others) consider to be the top 5 mistakes people make when they apply for patents.

1. Not hiring a patent attorney – may seem unnecessary, but there’s a huge risk that comes with applying for a patent on your own: If a patent isn’t done correctly, two years from when you apply someone could copy your product and you would have no recourse.

“The patent process is possible to do on your own, but you are more likely to shoot yourself in the foot; the process is complex—especially the part where you describe your patent; writing a patent application is a skill and something worthy of hiring a professional to do for you,” says Patrick Richards, attorney at Richards Patent Law.

2. Hiring the wrong patent attorney – rule of thumb: hire someone you can trust. Tap into your professional network for a recommendation. Tip: request a free consultation with your patent attorney before signing anything.

3. Not starting with the end in mind – before filing that application, sit down and make a plan for your product. Think about your ultimate goal for i, how you will sell it, at what scale, how you see it years from now.

Hope this helps anyone who’s thinking of going forward with their idea.